KRISHNA, Andhra Pradesh

Main Attraction: Kondapalli Toys

Kondapalli a village at about 15 Kms. distance from Vijayawada city is reputed world wide for its exquisite wooden toys known as Kondapally Toys. The Toys are as old as the human race. From his inception man has been enchanted by the splendid manifestations of the nature unfolded before him and his elated soul longed to express the experiences and emotions in some form of art or craft. Toy carving is one such art evolved through the inspiration from nature and social environment.

Toy making flourished here mainly due to the abundant availability of raw material, a soft variety of wood called “Tella-Ponuku”. These toys depict mainly the folk traditions and cultures like Dasavatarams, Mahout mounted elephant, Toddy tapper, Gopika Krishna, Cow and Calf, Band of musicians, Birds and Animals, Craftsmen at work etc.

Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation has been marketing these toys through their nation wide network of Lepakshi Emporiums and also exporting to other countries.

Brief History

The earliest rulers of the district known to History were the Andhra Kings or the Satavahanas styled as Buddhist kings. Simuka was the first king reputed as the founder of the great Satavahana dynasty. With his conquest of the Deccan (Kalinga) in 260 B.C. the great Ashoka Maurya claims to have subdued the Andhra Kings. However, his conquest of the Andhra Kings by no means terminated their existence as Simuka was contented with semi-independent status. Even Kanha the successor of Simuka continued to rule as his predecessor has done. But at this time the Magadha Empire was tottering to its fall owing to its vastness and for want of an able ruler after Ashoka. 

As such internal dissensions cropped up besides the external invasions. In such a situation of political confusion and chaos, Gautamiputra Satakarni ascended to the throne and was considered as the greatest of the Satavahanas and champion of Andhras as he protected their interests by destroying the Sakas, Yavanas and the Pallavas of Malwa, Gujarath and Kathiawar respectively. He soon proposed an alliance with the powerful Amgiya family in the west and married Naganika in order to make his empire safe from further incursions in the west and thereby restored glory to the Satavahana family. The Satavahanas subsequently ruled over a wide empire gradually extending their political sway from the Krishna delta towards Nasik.

Even the inscriptions at Amaravati and Dharanikota, besides the coins which have been found in the Andhra regions, indicate their greatness. But the last rulers of the Satavahana dynasty were weaklings and their rule was of little significance. The rise of the Chutus in the western and southern districts of the Abhiras in the Nasik area and of the Ikshvakus in the east and the relentless pressure of the Sakas of Ujjain sounded the death knell of the Satavahana Empire. This too went the way of all empires through valour, greatness, discord, degeneracy and decay.

But, while it lasted for more than four and half centuries, it imparted more stability and security to the life of the people, the inhabitants of regions of the Deccan, than any other Indian power had ever done. Many empires had come and gone, the Mauryas, Sungas and Kanvas in Magadha, the Chetis in Kalinga and the Bactrians, Sakas and Pallavas in north and northwestern India. Yet the Satavahanas ruled on, strong in will and stronger in action and before they fell, made weak by time and fate, they had already saved the Deccan from the aliens for more than three centuries.

The next rulers to appear on the scene were the earliest Pallavas and we read about Mukkanti Pallava as the king of Dharanikota which immediately adjoins Amaravati. The Pallavas (250-340 A.D.) consequent on the decline of Satavahana rulers, were the direct inheritors of parts of the Andhra Empire which stretched from the Krishna to the Tungabhadra and included Amaravati in the east, Bellary in the west and Kanchipuram (Conjeevaram) in the south. 

They were originally officers and governors of the southeastern portion of the Satavahana Empire, who later became independent and extended their power southwards. The Pallavas were also known as the Andhra feudatories who rose into prominence and conquered Kanchi region. The copper plate grants at Mydavolu (Guntur District) represent Sivaskandavarman as the maker of the Pallava greatness and as a great conqueror. Indeed he ought to have been the ablest of the early Pallavas and assumed the title of Dharmamaharaja and performed the Asvamedha sacrifice. The Pallava chieftains had two of their capitals at Venginagar near Ellore and at Pithapuram, both in "Vengidesha".

The next dynasty of importance is that of Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi who were a branch of the Western Chalukyas of Badami (or Vatapi) in Bijapur district. Pulakesin-II of the Western Chalukyas was a great conqueror as his very name which means either tiger haired or the great lion also indicates his conquest of Pithapuram, the old capital of Pallavas and Vengi desha proper, then in the hands of Vishnukundies, brought the entire Andhra country under his control in about 615 A.D. As such he appointed his younger brother, Vishnuvardhana surnamed "Kubja" (or "the hunch-back") as the Viceroy of the newly conquered possessions. Kubja Vishnuvardhana remained loyal but on the death of Pulakesin-II he automatically declared himself as an independent sovereign of the Kingdom of Vengi and thereby founded the Eastern Chalukya dynasty which subsequently became great and popular.

The kingdom lasted upto 1070 A.D. when it was absorbed into the Chola dynasty through the intermarriage between Vimaladitya, the brother of Saktivarma one of the Eastern Chalukya Kings and Kundavai, the daughter of Rajaraja the great, of Chola dynasty. Thus a union was brought about between the Chola and Eastern Chalukya Kings though they were at war with each other quite naturally in the early stages. In the early part of the 8th century, Udayachandra, the General of Pallava King, Narasimhavarman, claims to have subdued Vishnuvardhana-III of the Eastern Chalukya dynasty but this reconquest by the ancient owners of the country seems to have been short lived. The Eastern Chalukyas were credited with the excavations of the cave temple at Undavalli and other rock-cut shrines.

At the end of the 10th century the mighty Rajaraja-I, who had laid the foundations of the great Chola Empire with its capital at Tanjore, conquered the Eastern Chalukya country and appointed the defeated Sakthivarman (999-1011 A.D.) as king or perhaps a feudatory in Vengi. His brother and successor, Vimaladitya (1011-22 A.D.), though he had married a Chola princess apparently attempted to throw off his allegiance, for Rajaraja's son Rajendra Chola (1011-44 A.D.) again invaded the Vengi country and advanced as far as the hill called Mahendragiri in Ganjam where he planted a pillar of victory. Vimaladitya was not deposed, however, and was succeeded by his son, Rajaraja (1022-62 A.D.), who also married a princess of the Chola royal house. 

This king fixed his capital at Rajahmundry and it was during his reign that the Mahabharata was translated into Telugu. He is well known to local tradition to this day under the name Rajaraja Narendra who is generally regarded as a national hero of the Andhras and was a patron of the great Telugu poet, Nannaya Bhattu who began the translation of Mahabharata into Telugu. When the Chola power began to decline Vengi fell first under a number of petty chiefs.

The district then at the end of the 13th century came under the political sway of the Ganapathi dynasty of Telangana, popular as Kakatiya Kings. This fell before the Muslims who obtained a brief foothold in the country in 1324 A.D. but the invaders were soon driven back.

The first appearance of the Muslims in the Deccan was in 1296 A.D. when Alla-uddin assassinated his own uncle Jalal-ud-din and seized the throne and then made a singularly bold incursion against the Hindu Raja of Deogiri. He had also long been jealous of the growing power of the Kakatiyas. In 1,303 A.D. he had unsuccessfully attempted to crush their kingdom. But in 1,310 A.D. an army was despatched from Delhi against Warangal. Pratapa Rudra summoned the neighbouring Rajas to the assistance of their suzerain but in vain. The Muslim General, Malik Kafur, took the city by assault and Pratapa Rudra was besieged in the citadel, purchased peace by a payment of 300 elephants and 7,000 horses and a promise of an annual tribute. 

This tribute was paid regularly until 1312 A.D. but the confusions in the following year at Delhi emboldened Pratapa Rudra to withhold it which was the reason why the Emperor Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluk on his accession in 1321 A.D. lost no time in sending to Warangal an army under the command of his eldest son, Prince Alaf or Jorah Khan. The Hindus fought with desperate valour and drove the Muslims as far back as Deogiri but reinforcements were obtained from Delhi and in 1323 A.D.Warangal was taken with great slaughter and the ill fated Pratapa Rudra was carried as captive to Delhi.

In 1344 A.D. the capricious cruelty of Prince Alaf Khan, later on Muhammad-I, had so disgusted his subjects that Virabhadraya, son of Pratapa Rudra, seized the opportunity to assert his independence at Warangal and, aided by the Raja of Vijayanagar, made a successful stand against the Muslims. This was followed by the revolt in 1347 A.D. of the Muslim officers in the deccan and Virabhadraya made common cause with them against Delhi and sent 15,000 infantry who took part in the great battle near Bidar but failed to regain the lost dominions of his father. However, it enabled Hassan Shah Gangu, to assume the regal style and to found the dynasty at Gulbarga known as the Bahmani Kings of the Deccan. 

The kings of this dynasty were so called in memory of the Bahmani Gangu in whose service Hasan, the founder of the race, had discovered the hidden treasure and who was afterwards the trusted minister at Delhi Sultan's court. The Bahmani kingdom extended from Berar in the north to left bank of the Tungabhadra in the south and from Dabal on the west coast to the Telangana tract in the east. The Muslim Kingdom of Gulbarga steadily advanced until in 1425 A.D. Warangal was included within its limits.

The captivity of Pratapa Rudra in 1323 A.D. left his kingdom without a ruler. The northern provinces probably fell under the sway of the Odisha(Orissa) Rajas. Along side it, in the south the district acknowledged the authority of a line of cultivators who rose to considerable power and are known to history as the "Reddi Kings". The founder of this family was Donti Aliya Reddi, a cultivator of Hanamkonda who amassed enormous wealth, tradition says by discovering the alchemists' secret of the process of transmuting metals into gold, and migrated to Kondavidu. On the downfall of Pratapa Rudra, the eldest son Pulaya Vema Reddi found himself independent and established himself in the hill fort of Kondavidu, which had doubtless been a stronghold for some centuries previous to this date. He also possessed himself of the fortress of Bellamkonda, Vinukonda and Nagarjunakonda in the Palnad. His brother, Anavema Reddi, extended his dominions to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. Kondapalle hill fort is said to have been built in his reign. The Kondavidu Reddis were great patrons of Telugu literature. The poet Srinadha and his brother-in-law Bammera Pothana flourished at this court. 

The ruins of their fortresses at Kondavidu, Bellamkonda and Kondapalli are still to be seen. On the extinction of the Reddi dynasty the Gajapathi Kings of Odisha(Orissa) extended their power over the district. The name of Kapileswara Gajapathi is preserved by the village Kapileswarapuram (now in Pamidimukkala Mandal). He was succeeded by Vidyadhara Gajapathi who built Vidyadharapuram and constructed a reservoir at Kondapalli. His wife Bhavanamma and his two daughters Muthyalamma and Paidamma gave their names to Bhavanipuram, Muthayalammapadu villages (now included in Vijayawada M.Corp.) and Paidurupadu village now in Vijayawada Rural Mandal. About 1516 A.D. Krishna Devaraya the great King of Vijayanagar conquered the whole of this country and left inscriptions to announce his victories. The farthest boundary of the Kingdom in North extended up to Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam district. He restored Kondapalli to the Orissa Raja but retained Kondavidu.

About the end of the 15th century the Bahmani Kingdom split up into several smaller states such as Bijapur in 1489 A.D. Ahammadnagar in 1490 and Bidar in 1498 A.D. In 1512 A.D.the Kingdom of Golconda or Hyderabad was founded by one Sultan Quli Qutub Shah, a Turk of noble family, who was Governor of the Golconda province under the Bahmanis. He took advantage of the distracted state of Kingdom under Mahamud Shah and declared his independence, establishing the Qutub Shahi dynasty which reigned from 1512 to 1687. The Kingdom of Golconda included this district within its limits.

The life story of this adventurer Sultan Quli is marvellous. In 1490 A.D. he was an officer of the guard at the palace when an attempt was made on the King's life by some Abyssinians and Deccanis and it was his desperate defence that enabled the young Mohamud Shah to escape with his life. For this service, he was rewarded with the title of Qutb-ul-Mulk and in 1495 A.D. we find him appointed as Governor of Telangana with the personal Jagirs of Warangal and Golconda. To the credit of Sultan Quli it must be recorded that he steadfastly remained loyal to Mahamud Shah, his early patron. The province was governed in the King's name and during his various interchanging conflicts which occupied the following twenty years Sultan Quli, as far as possible gave his support to the King. 

It was not until his four rivals had all assumed the regal style, and homage to Mahamud Shah had become nothing but a sentimental survival bereft of all real significance, that Sultan Quli Qutub Shah, in 1512 A.D. proclaimed himself king and fixed his capital at Golconda but even after this he continued to send presents and money every year to the descendant of the Bahmani Kings. Bellamkonda was, at this time, held by a raja named Sitapati who also held Warangal and Khammammet and who seems to have been a vassal of Orissa. It was a dispute with this Raja that first brought Sultan Quli into the Krishna District.

Raja Sitapati not only possessed these three strongholds, but had in his service a trained body of twelve thousand infantry noted as good marksmen. Confident in the security thus afforded him he laid hands on some of the Qutub Shah's districts which adjoined his territory. This roused the king who marched from Golconda and leaving aside Warangal and Khammammet, crossed the Krishna river and laid close siege to Bellamkonda. The fortress held out much longer than the King expected, so losing patience, he ordered a general escalade on all sides simultaneously and thus took the place but with heavy loss.

Bellamkonda had hitherto been considered impregnable and Sitapati Raja, who had been well content to see the king waste his time below its walls, no sooner heard of its fall than he marched with his army to cut off the King's retreat. A desperate battle ensued. The Hindu infantry with a well directed fire inflicted severe loss upon their enemies and firmly withstood several charges of the Mahammadan cavalry but at last gave way, leaving the baggages and treasure to Sultan Quli who returned with his booty to Golconda.

Sitapati Raja had fled from the field to his fortress of Khammammet but defeat only incited him to further efforts. He sent messengers to all the neighbouring Rajas, writing to them to form a league against this Sultan Quli Qutub Shah who had already reduced greater part of Telangana and was every day gaining ground so that soon no Hindu chiefs would remain to oppose his overwhelming ambition. The Rajas responded to his call and their united forces assembled at Khammammet. Sultan Quli at once marched to oppose them and as usual gained a victory.

The defeated but not despairing Sitapati fled to Kondapalli where he found Raja Ramachandra, the son of Gajapati Vijayananda Deo, Raja of Orissa. To this prince he represented that Sultan Quli had at length succeeded in expelling him from his country, that all Telangana lay at the mercy of this Muslim and that unless he was checked, the Orissa Dominions would be the next to suffer, Gajapati Ramachandra, impressed by the gravity of the crisis, issued orders to all his tributaries to retire to Kondapalli with their forces and soon collected at Kondapalli an enormous army, said to have numbered three hundred thousand infantry, thirty thousand horses and seven hundred elephants. The various Hindu Rajas took an oath to stand by each other, and then they marched to crush Sultan Quli. 

He prepared to oppose them with only five thousand horses and met them at the river near "Palanchennur" (perhaps the present Penuganchiprolu near Jaggayyapet). Sultan Quli not withstanding the disparity of numbers determined on delivering the attack and won the battle. Thus the king reduced the fortress of Kondapalli but in 1530 A.D. he was obliged to take the field against the Raja of Vijayanagar. Under the command of Siva raja in which Sultan Quli scored a victory, Sultan Quli Qutub Shah was advanced in years and resolved to spend the remainder of his life in peaceful pursuits. On 4th September, 1543 A.D. when he was kneeling at prayer in the mosque at Golconda he was assassinated by order of his third son prince Jamshid who ascended the throne in his stead. 

On his death, Prince Ibrahim was crowned. The rise of the Vijayanagar Empire was dramatically rapid. The empire reached the height of its power under Sri Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1530 A.D.) the greatest of its monarchs. In 1515 A.D. King Sri Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar wrested the north of the district from the Gajapati Kings of Orissa. He was a great patron of Sanskrit and Telugu literatures and won the title as 'Andhra Bhoja' and in fact his court was adorned by the famous eight poets popularly known as 'Ashtadiggajas'.

The Hindu Minister Jagadeva Row was too powerful for a subject and when Ibrahim Qutub Shah took steps against him fled to the Vijayanagar Court and employed all his energies in fomenting intrigues to the detriment of his late master. Thus in 1557 A.D. the Kings of Bidar and Bijapur attacked on him on the west and Rama Raja of Vijayanagar on the south, while two Orissa generals named Sitapati and Vijayaditya moved from Rajahmundry against Ellore and Siddhiraja Rimmappa, Governor of Kondavidu with fifty thousand horses attacked Masulipatnam and Kondapalli fighting several actions near the gardens of Ibrahim Shah and Vijayawada.

The king confined by this coalition of his enemies to the neighbourhood of his capital had recourse to negotiations and induced Rama Raja to be satisfied with the forts of Pangul and Ghunapur. The confederacy then broke up and Ibrahim Qutub Shah so laboured to impress upon the other Muslim Kings the need for union against the Vijayanagar power that seven years later in 1565 A.D. they leagued together and crushed the Hindu Raja at the famous battle of Tallikot by razing the city of Vijayanagar to the ground. The empire never recovered from the blow.

Abul-Hasan Shah was the last of Qutub Shahi dynasty known as Tanesha. The Muslim and Hindu people tell many stories about his reign. He had two ministers, both Brahmins, named Akkanna and Madanna, who managed his affairs with much ability and left an enduring reputation.

For some reason, they fixed their office at Vijayawada. Popular tradition attributed this preference of Vijayawada to the devotion of the two ministers to the goddess Kanaka Durga and certain it is that the impetus then given to her cult still exists for as late as 1878 A.D. a serai at Vijayawada for the accommodation of pilgrims to her shrine, was erected by some merchants of Cocanada. The mendicant laudator temporis acti still fondly points out the spot, at the foot of the telegraph hill, where the beneficient ministers distributed food every day to a crowd of applicants of all castes and such was the impression made on the public mind by their rapid transaction of business, that the legend is still current that from the caves on that hill runs a subterranean passage to Hyderabad by which the ministers could go to court, obtain the King's orders and return to Vijayawada in one day.

The Emperor Aurangazeb included this district in the province of Golconda, one of the twenty two provinces that formed his enormous Empire, but he was too busily engaged in distant warfare to pay much attention to this part of the country, which remained under Asaf Jah who was appointed as Subedar or Viceroy of the Deccan in 1713 A.D. with the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. The Moghal Empire at this period was on the verge of decline owing to internal dissensions. Asaf Jah took opportunity fairly well so much so that he had little difficulty in asserting his independence against the weak occupants of the Delhi throne although a battle was fought at Shakarkhelda (Fathkhelda) in the Buldana district of Berar in 1724 A.D. with Mubariz Khan the Governor of Khandesh, which established him as independent sovereign of the Kingdom. Mubariz Khan was killed in the battle and so he reigned without rival as Subedar of the Deccan. The province of Golconda comprised five Nawabs' charges viz., Arcot, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Rajahmundry and Chicacole (Srikakulam). The Nawab of Rajamundry ruled the country included in the Krishna district.

The representatives of the different European Nations had been appearing hitherto as traders on the coast, under the patronage of some local potentiate or influential courtier. In 1611 A.D. the English founded their settlement at Musulipatnam which continued to be their headquarters until they finally moved to Madras in 1641 A.D. Three years after founding of the English settlement came the Dutch and in 1669 A.D. the French followed. The scene now changed and the Europeans played a bolder part exercising a voice in the political changes of the Deccan. The first who rose superior to the caution of the counting house and took a statesman like view of the possibility of building a European Empire upon the crumbling monarchy of the Moghuls, were the French officials at Pondicherry and prominent among them stands M.Dupleix. He was a simple merchant, who by 1741 A.D. had risen to be the Governor of Pondicherry.

Upon the death of the old Nizam-ul-Mulk in June 1748 A.D. his second son, Nasir Jung, and Muzaffar Jung, his grandson by one of his daughters, strove for the succession. At this time the English and the French were contending for supremacy in the east and each of the claimants secured the support of these powers; Nasir Jung's cause was espoused by the English, while Muzaffar Jung was supported by the French. The latter, however, fell a prisoner to his uncle, but on the assassination of Nasir Jung, Muzaffar Jung was proclaimed the sovereign.

Dupleix, the French Governor, became the controller of the Nizam's authority. Muzaffar Jung was killed by some Pathan chiefs and the French then selected Salabath Jung, a brother of Nasir Jung as ruler. Ghazi-ud-din, the eldest son of Asaf Jah, who it was alleged, had relinquished his claim at first, now appeared as a claimant, supported by the Marathas but his sudden death put a stop for further struggles. The English and the French were now contesting for power and influence in the Deccan, but the Victories of Clive in the Carnatic caused the latter to turn their attention to their own possessions which were threatened and to leave Salabat Jung to shift for himself. 

Nizam Ali Khan, the fourth son of Asaf Jah, at this juncture obtained the support of the English on the promise of dismissing the French from his service. Salabat Jung was dethroned in 1761 A.D. and Nizam Ali Khan was proclaimed ruler. The British secured at first the divisions of Masulipatnam, Nizampatnam and part of Kondavidu and later the entire Circars. At first the district was administered by a Chief and a Council at Masulipatnam but in 1794 A.D. Collectors, directly responsible to the Board of Revenue, were appointed at Masulipatnam.

Krishna district came into existence in the year 1859 in the composite Madras state which was then known as Masulipatnam district since Machilipatnam (Bandar) is the district headquarters. Krishna district derived its name from the mighty river Krishna which is also known as the "Blue Nile of the Deccan". The river Krishna has profound bearing on the cultural and economic life of people living in its delta. Since the residuary Krishna district did not undergo any major jurisdictional changes except some minor changes in 1925, 1950 and 1959. In 1959 Munagala Paragana which was abridged to Krishna district in 1950 was transferred to Nalgonda district for administrative convenience.

Guntur and West Godavari districts were carved out from Krishna district in the years 1904 and 1905 respectively. Since then both the districts are in existence. The history and jurisdictional changes if any in these two districts i.e., Guntur and West Godavari will be discussed in the DCHBs of those districts.

GUNTUR, Andhra Pradesh

Main Attraction: Ethipothala

The Ethipothala is a natural valley located amidst picturesque and peaceful surroundings was once a place of penance for saints. Hence the name Ethi-Taposthala. Presently it is known as Ethipothala. This beatuful Valley is about 8 Kms. From the Macherla Railway Station in Guntur District.

The rain water on Nallamala Hill ranges flows underground and emerges out here as Chandravanka and Suryavanka. Suryavanka stream falls vfrom a height of 21 metres into a beautiful lagoon. The fallen water flows 3 Kms. From the valley and joins river Krishna. In ancient days saints used to go to Srisailam and Guthikonda Bilam through the underground tunnel of this Valley. The cave temples of Lord Dattatreya, His consort Madhumati Devi and Lord Ranganath are worth seeing.

This is a place of tourist attraction. Thousands of tourists who visit Nagarjunasagar Dam also visit this place.

Brief History

General:

Guntur district in its present form was constituted only in 1904 out of the areas of Ongole taluk of Nellore district and portions of the Krishna District. Prior to 1859 there was 'Guntur district' with headquarters at Guntur but with a different jurisdiction. In 1859 this district was abolished and was divided up between Masulipatam and Rajahmundry districts, which were renamed as Krishna and Godavari. In 1904 Krishna district was bifurcated and Guntur district with its present jurisdiction was constituted into a separate independent district. The early history of the district is briefly given below.

Political History:

The earliest known rulers of the district were the Buddhist dynasty of the Andhras who built the stupa at Amaravathi and whose curious old leaden coins are still occasionally found. The Buddhist remains at Amaravathi on the right bank of the Krishna nearly seventy miles (110 Kms.) from its mouth, bear inscriptions in the Gupta character; which refer to the second century after Christ and may possibly be older than that. The Buddhist stupa, discovered on the north bank of the river near Jaggayyapet, is said to be the date as remote as 200 B.C. or only half a century later than the Asoka edicts. It may therefore be inferred that for some time before and after the Christian Era, Buddhism was firmly established on the banks of the Krishna.

This religion seems to have given way before the Brahmans and a sect of Buddhist dissenters known as the Jains. The Brahmans are said to have been invited by the King of Dharanikota, Mukkanti Pallava, in the third century A.D. or by a King named Sudakshana about the same date to Srikakulam, a shrine lower down the Krishna. Both legends are current, but the history of this period is very obscure. The Pallava dynasty may be the line of Kings which is shown by two copper plates to have reigned in the fourth century A.D. over "Vengi desha" but this kingdom is not mentioned by Ptolemy or in the Periplus of the Red Sea.

In 640 A.D. there is an account written by the Chinese Pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang, who travelled through India to see the Buddhist monasteries. He speaks of the Kingdom of Anta-lo (Andhra) with its capital ping-kilo (Vengi) and in Dhanakacheka (Dhanyakataka or Dharani Kota) describes two very extensive Buddhist monasteries, the eastern and western. The Chinese traveller describes the monasteries as surrounded by trees and gushing fountains, which may indicate a great clearance of forest and lessening of rainfall in the last twelve centuries. He mourns over the decay of Buddhism, decay caused perhaps as much by the opposition of the Jains as by the advent of the Brahmans, for the Jains did not disappear from the Krishna district until six centuries after Hiuen Tsang's visit.

By 640 A.D. the Pallava dynasty of Vengi had been conquered by the Chalukya Kings of Kalyanpur. Some would place this conquest as far back as the time of Vishnu Vardhana, great grandfather of Satyasraya Vallabhendra in the fourth century, but at all events, the territory was divided about 605 A.D. and Vengi was given to Kubja Vishnuvardhana, the younger brother of Satyasraya Vallabhendra, King of Kalyanpur. The Kubja Vishnuvardhana founded a dynasty, known as the Eastern Chalukya Kings, who reigned for four centuries, and who excavated the cave temple at Undavalli and other rock cut shrines. About 999 A.D. they in their turn were supplanted by the Cholas. The latter after some two centuries gave place to the Ganapathis of Warangal. Ganapati Deva, who reigned at Warangal (1190-1258 A.D.), and built around Warangal the single stone wall, which is given the name Ekasilanagaram, or in its Tamil form, 'Orukkal', whence Warangal, was an active persecutor of the Jains and throughout his wide dominions which included the seacoast from Divi to Nellore, erected Brahmanical temples. Possibly he might have married his only daughter to the Jain King of Dharanikota for political reasons, to absorb in his Kingdom the territory of this petty ruler, and Pratapa Rudra, the son born of this mixed marriage, would naturally follow his mother's faith.

After the death of Ganapathi Deva, the grandfather of Pratapa Rudra, in 1258 A.D the Government was assumed by his daughter, Rudramma, one of the most illustrious and famous women in Indian history who have left behind a reputation as the most skilful ruler. It was during the regency of this widowed queen that the Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, visited this country, about the year 1290 A.D. He seems to have landed at Motupalle, now an obscure fishing village near Chirala.

This queen Rudramma transferred the royal authority to her daughter's son, Pratapa Rudra, in the year 1295 A.D. There are numerous grants of Pratapa Rudra in Krishna district and in the Palnad taluk. In 1323 A.D. he was taken captive by the Muslims and carried away to Delhi and this was an irretrievable disaster, for although his son Virabhadraya asserted his independence in 1344 A.D. He failed to regain the lost dominions of his father and the Muslim kingdom of Gulbarga steadily advanced until in 1425 A.D. when Warangal was included within its limits.

After the captivity of Pratapa Rudra in 1323 A.D. his kingdom was left without a ruler. This district then came under a dual sway, the king of Orissa ruling the northern part while the south fell into the hands of a line of cultivators who rose to considerable power and are known as the Reddi Kings of Kondaveedu.

The founder of the family of Reddi Kings of Kondaveedu was Donti Aliya Reddi, a cultivator of Hanumakonda, who amassed enormous wealth, tradition says by discovering the alchemists' secret of the process of transmuting metals into gold, and migrated to Kondaveedu. On the downfall of Pratapa Rudra, the eldest son, Pulayya Vema Reddi declared himself as independent ruler of the hill fort of Kondaveedu. He also possessed himself of the fortresses of Bellamkonda, Vinukonda, and Nagarjunakonda in Palnad taluk. His brother Anavema Reddi extended his dominions as far as Rajahmundry in the north, Kanchi in the south and Srisailam in the west. Kondapalle hill fort is said to have been built in his reign. An inscription at Amaresvaram dated 1361 A.D. states that Anavema Reddi was in possession of Kondaveedu, Addanki and Raichur, that he repaired the temple at Amaravati and the causeway at Srisailam and that he defeated various Rajas including the kings of Warangal. This last boast probably relates to the unsuccessful efforts of Virabhadraya in 1344 A.D. and later to regain his father's territories from the Muslims on the one hand and the Orissa Rajas and Kondaveedu Reddies on the other. Anavema Reddi was succeeded by his brother, Aliya Vema Reddi who was succeeded by the fourth brother, Komaragiri Reddi, a ruler of bad reputation, who was followed by his sons Komati Venka Reddi, and Racha Vema Reddi, the last of the line, who after an evil reign of four years was assassinated by a person named Chowdari Yellappa in 1428 A.D. The dates of these six Reddi kings are as follows:

Pulayya Vema Redd … 1328 A.D.

Ana Vema Reddi … 1340 A.D.

Aliya Vema Reddi ... 1370 A.D.

Komaragiri Reddi … 1382 A.D.

Komati Venka Reddi … 1396 A.D.

Racha Vema Reddi … 1424 A.D.

These Kondaveedu Reddis were great patrons of Telugu literature. The poet Srinadha with his brother-in-law, Bammera Pothana flourished, at their court and sang their praise. The ruins of their fortresses at Kondaveedu, Bellamkonda and Kondapalle are still to be seen.

On the extinction of the Reddi dynasty the Ganapathi King of Orissa extended his power. In 1515 A.D. King Krishna Deva Raya of vijayanagar conquered the whole of the country and left many inscriptions to perpetuate the memory of his victories. He restored Kondapalle to the Orissa Raja but retained Kondaveedu. On the fall of Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 A.D. this region was conquered by the Muslims and the Hindu rule came to an end in 1579 A.D.in this district. On the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 A.D. it passed on to the Kutub Shahi line of Golconda, and was eventually absorbed (on the destruction of that dynasty in 1687) in the empire of Emperor Aurangazeb.

In 1611 A.D. the English founded their second settlement in India at Masulipatam, which continued to be their headquarters until it was finally moved it to Madras in 1641 A.D. Three years after the founding of the English settlement came the Dutch and in 1669 A.D. the French followed. It was not, however, till the year 1750 A.D. that any of the European powers exerted any political influence in this district. Two years after that date the Subedar of the Deccan granted the whole of the Northern Circars to the French, and it was from them that this tract finally passed to the English. On the outbreak of hostilities in 1758 A.D. Colonel Forde, who was sent by Clive from Bengal to attack the French in the Northern circars, defeated them at Condore in Godavari District, and following them to Masulipatam besieged them there. Faced by a strong garrison in front and hemmed in behind by the Subedar of the Deccan, the ally of the French, his ranks rapidly thinned with disease, Forde, as a counsel of despair, at length made an almost desperate night attack upon the Masulipatam fort and captured it. As a consequence of this victory, first the divisions of Masulipatam, Nizampatam and part of Kondaveedu, and later the whole of the Circars, passed by a grant from the Subedar of the Deccan (confirmed by the emperor Shah Alam in 1765) to the Company. With the cession of the Palnad in 1801 by the Nawab of Arcot, the entire district finally became a British territory. At first it was administered by a Chief and Council at Masulipatam, but in 1794 A.D. Collectors directly responsible to the Board of Revenue were appointed at Guntur and Masulipatam. In 1859 A.D. these

two Collectorates (except two taluks of the later) were amalgamated into one district.

This amalgamation did not continue for long. With the construction of the anicuts across Godavari and Krishna rivers the irrigation facilities increased. This resulted in the increase in work of all kinds in the methods of administration and rendered the task of efficiently controlling these two wealthy areas more difficult for one Collector to compass. Hence readjustment of these two districts was necessitated and in 1904 a separate district was constituted with Guntur as headquarters. Ongole taluk of Nellore district, Tenali, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Palnad, Bapatla, Narasaraopet and Vinukonda taluks of Krishna district were included in the newly formed Guntur District. In 1909 Tenali Taluk was split up into Tenali and Repalle taluks. The jurisdiction of the district did not undergo any major change from that time and continued as part of the Madras State till 1953. This district has played a very important role in the National struggle for independence. It produced patriots like Desabhakta Konda Venkatappaiah, Parvathaneni Veeraiah Chowdary, leader of the great Pedanandipadu ‘No-Tax-Campaign’ of 1923, Vunnava Lakshminarayana Panthulu, ‘Andhra Ratna’ Duggirala Gopala Krishnaiah, ‘Andhra Kesari’ Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu (the latter two belong to Chirala and Ongole respectively, which now belong to Prakasam district), whose services to the Nation are unforgettable. ‘Rythu Bandhava’ prof. N.G.Ranga, popularly known as ‘Acharya Ranga’ rendered yeomen services during the freedom struggle in arousing the rural masses throughout the country. The district also had the fortune of being the venue of the All India Congress Committee Sessions twice.

In 1953 when the Andhra State was formed, this was also transferred to Andhra State along with the other Telugu speaking districts of the composite Madras State. After the Reorganization of States in 1956, this district along with the other districts of Andhra State became part of Andhra Pradesh. It may be worth mentioning in this connection that Guntur city, the headquarters of this district was the seat of the Andhra High Court for a period of over 3 years from 1st October 1953, i.e. from the inception of the Andhra State till the formation of Andhra Pradesh on 1-11-1956.

EAST GODAVARI, Andhra Pradesh

Main Attraction: Kakinada Fort

The Port of Kakinada is on the Southern Part of East Coast of India at 16.56' (North) & Longitude 82.15'.(East). It is the principal sea port amongst the minor ports in INDIA and is under the control of the government of the State of Andhra Pradesh. This port is classified as an intermediate port and is all weather sheltered anchorage port. Kakinada Bay, with water spread of about 2.5 Sq.Km. is encircled and protected upto three quarters of its perimeter by the mainland and the Godavari sand spit, also known as "Hope Island". This Island had originated about 200 years ago from the mouth of the river littoral drift along the shoreline and had extended to a length about 11 nautical miles so far, thus forming into a natural breakwater protecting the entire eastern portion from the fury of the sea and providing tranquility and shelter to the ships which are berthed at anchor in the Kakinada Bay. Thus, the port of Kakinada has become one of the safest natural harbours on the east coast of India.

Brief History

The history of East Godavari district like the rest of Andhra, may be traced to the period of the Nandas. Mahapadma Nanda, the founder of the Nanda dynasty, who led expeditions and defeated several monarchs of the north and the Deccan, thus making the Nandas monarchs of a large portion of the Deccan. The subsequent history of Nanda dynasty is not known, except that, the last ruler Dhana Nanda was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 B.C.

Thus, Chandrgupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty assumed control over the empire which included a large portion of the Deccan. He was succeeded by his son, Bindusara (297-272 B.C.). Bindusara was succeeded to the throne by Asoka.

After the Mauryas, the district passed under the sway of the Satavahanas. The access of Hala in about 6 or 7 A.D. lasted for only one year. Though there were no events of political importance during his reign, he won for himself a niche among the great poets of all time. The rule of Gautamiputra Satakarni (62-86 A.D.), Vasishthiputra Pulumayi (86-114 A.D.) and Yajna Sri Satakarni (128-157 A.D.) is evident from the coins found during excavations. The Satavahanas appear to have ruled till the first quarter of the third century A.D.

Samudrgupta, the Gupta ruler, who invaded this district in 350 A.D. came into conflict with the rulers of both Pishtapura and Avamukta. The local rulers joined the rulers of neighbouring principalities to resist the onslaughts of the Gupta ruler. However, the outcome of this united opposition is not known.

Samudragupta's invasion was followed by the rule of a line of kings belonging to Matharakula. Their rule extended roughly from 375 A.D. to 500 A.D. The earliest known ruler of the dynasty was Maharaja Saktivarman. The district passed into the hands of Vishnukundin during the rule of Vikramendravarma-I. They ruled for over two centuries from the first quarter of the 5th Century A.D. or a little earlier. The records discovered indicate that their dominion extended over Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur, besides the present East Godavari district. Ranadurjaya, a member of the Durjaya family, ruled Pistapuram or Pithapuram as a Vassal of Vikramendravarma in recognition of his services to the State. Another Vishnukundin ruler Indrabhattaraka, defeated the rulers of Vasishtakula and re-established his authority over this region. His success was, however, short lived. The early reigns of Kalinga with the support of some petty rulers, completely routed Indrabhattaraka's army.

This resulted in the Vishnukundin's power suffered a severe set-back. Indrabhattaraka was followed to the throne by a few others belonging to the same family. Madhavarama-III was the last important ruler of this family. Madhavarama-III was, however, killed in a battle. He was succeeded by his son, Manchannabhattaraka who strove hard to maintain his hold over the ancestral dominion without much success.

Later, the western Chalukya ruler of Badami Pulakesin-II, with the help of his brother Kubjavishnu, attacked Pistapura and emerged victorious. Kubjavishnu was given the newly acquired territories in the east in token of appreciation of the service rendered by him.

The rulers of eastern Chalukya dynasty founded by Kubjavishnu, ruled at first from Pistapura, then from Vengi and later from Rajamahendri (Rajahmundry). Many rulers held sway over the kingdom and their history is, at times, largely a record of disputes about succession.

Chalukya Bhima-I, who ruled during 892-921 A.D., built a temple in honour of Siva at Draksharama. In the subsequent period which marked a civil war for power, Amma-I, son of Vijayaditya-IV, came out victorious and ruled the Kingdom for seven years. He was succeeded by his son Vijayaditya-V, who was ousted from power within a fortnight of his accession. He was compelled to take refuge in the fort of Pithapuram, where he founded a dynasty.

In 973 A.D. the eastern Chalukya ruler, Danarnava, was killed and Vengi was occupied by Jata Choda Bhima of Pedakallu in Kurnool district who ruled for 27 years. The two sons of Danarnava, Saktivarman-I and Vimaladitya fled from the Kingdom and took refuge in the court of the Chola King Rajaraja-I (985-1016 A.D). Kundavai, the daughter of Rajaraja was married to Vimaladitya, the younger of the two princes. Rajaraja invaded Vengi on behalf of the sons of Danarnava. In this war, Jata Choda Bhima was killed and Vengi passed into the hands of Rajaraja. This was not liked by Satyasraya, an early ruler of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. As a result of this, Vengi became the bone of contention between the Cholas and Chalukyas of Kalyani to the west. The rule of Vijayaditya-VII, the last king of the eastern Chalukya dynasty, witnessed an invasion of the Vengi kingdom by the Chedi King of Dahala, Yasahkarnadeva in 1073 A.D. Vijayaditya-VII lost his kingdom and with his death in 1075 A.D. the eastern Chalukya dynasty came to an end.

With the accession of Rajendra under the title of Kulottunga-I, an eastern Chalukyan prince and a rival of Vijayaditya-VII, to the chola throne, this district along with the rest of the Vengi kingdom became a province of the Chola empire. These rulers were known as Chalukya-Cholas. Kulottunga-I appointed his sons Rajaraja Mummadi Choda, Vira Choda, Rajaraja Choda Ganga and Vikrama Chola, as his viceroys in Vengi. Vikrama Chola was called back to the south in the same year as the administration of the major portion of this district by Velanadu chiefs was not effective. This gave an opportunity to the western Chalukya ruler, Vikramaditya-VI to reduce the Velanadu chief to subjection. Someswara-III succeeded Vikramaditya-VI. On the Chola throne, Vikrama Chola was followed by Kulottunga-II and Rajaraja-II and Rajadhiraja in succession. During the reign of Rajadhiraja- II, the Velanadu rulers became more independent and entertained plans of aggressive. A major portion of the district was also ruled by a local dynasty known as Velanati Cholas. The other rulers of this dynasty were Gonka-I, Gonka-II, Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-I and Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II (1108-1181 A.D).

The Haihayas of Kona and the eastern Chalukyas of Pithapuram took advantage of the death of Gonka-II and asserted their independence. But Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II who succeeded Gonka-II, despatched an army headed by his minister Amritaluri Devana Preggada who defeated the Kona chief and reduced them to subjection. Subsequently, Proliya Preggada, the Commander-in-chief of Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II conquered the eastern Chalukya princes. Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II also came into conflict with the Kakatiya ruler Rudra. Thus, the power of Velanadu chiefs reached glorious heights and the entire coastal Andhra came under their rule.The sudden demise of Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II in 1181 A.D. led to the outbreak of a civil war among the heirs of Kulottunga Rajendra Chola heirs for the possession of the throne. With this, the rule of Velanati Chola over this district ended.

An early ruler of Kakatiya dynasty Prola-II threw off the Imperial Yoke of the western Chalukyas of Kalyani and asserted his independence. During his reign, he was opposed by the Haihayas of Kona. Prola-II was succeeded by his son Rudra (1150-1195 A.D), who obtained the Godavari delta as a fief from the Chalukya Chola emperor Rajaraja-II and attempted to avenge the defeat of his father at the hands of Haihayas of Kona. The epigraph at Draksharama dated 1158 A.D. is an evidence of this. Rudra's authority over the Godavari delta was challenged by the Velanadu Cholas. The Velanati Chief, Julottunga Rajendra Chola-II sent an army against Rudra. The minister of Rajendra Chola-II, Devana Preggada is said to have first reduced the territory bordering the sea and established himself at Draksharama in 1163 A.D. and then advanced on the Haihayas of Kona and having defeated them, he compelled them to acknowledge the supremacy of his sovereign. However, Rudra does not seem to have left them in peaceful possession of this area. On the death of the Chalukya Chola emperor Rajaraja-II in 1172 A.D. Kulottunga Rajendra Chola-II took advantage of the break-down of the imperial power and made himself the master of the whole of the maritime region. He, however died unexpectedly and the power of the Velanadu Cholas suffered a set back.

Rudra was succeeded by his younger brother Mahadeva who died in a conflict with the Yadavas of Devagiri. His son Ganapati succeeded to the Kakatiya throne. He conquered Divi in Krishna district. Ganapati successfully sent an army to Kalinga to reduce it to subjection. The eastern Ganga ruler Aniyanka Bhima-III and his son Narasimha-I were continuously in conflict with Ganapati. Ganapati sent an army across the northern side of Godavari, where a great battle was fought and the enemy was forced to a hasty retreat. In a conflict with the Pandyas of Madura, Ganapati inflicted a crushing defeat on them and compelled their ally Kopperunjinga to acknowledge his suzerainty. As a result of this victory, the Kakatiya power remained undisturbed in the Godavari valley until the end of the reign of Ganapati.

Ganapati was succeeded by his daughter Rudramba (1259-95 A.D.). During the latter part of her reign, the whole of Godavari valley appears to have come in full under her sway and remained under her control till the end of her reign. Prataparudra ascended the throne in 1295 A.D. His reign faced many invasions by the Sultan of Delhi. In 1323 A.D. he was defeated by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and was sent as a prisoner to Delhi. With this, the district along with the remaining Kakatiya dominion passed into the hands of the Delhi Sultans.

Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq divided the Deccan and the south India into five provinces and entrusted the job of administration to the governors. The rule of the governors, however, became unpopular. All the Nayakas living there in formed a confederacy and Prolaya Nayaka of Musunuri family, was chosen leader of the confederates. As a result of these rebellions, Kingdoms of the Reddis of Kondaveedu, the Rayas of Vijayanagara, the Recherlas of Rachakonda, the Bahmanis of Gulbarga and that of the Musunuri chiefs of Warangal came to be established and Prolaya Nayaka became the undisputed leader of Coastal Andhra. After his death Kapaya Nayaka, a cousin of Prolaya Nayaka, succeeded him as the leader of the chiefs of the coastal tract. Kapaya Nayaka's leadership was not able to inculcate a sense of oneness amongst the chiefs, who started acting in an independent manner. Therefore, Kapaya Nayaka entrusted the administration of this region to Toyyeti Anavota Nayaka who ruled over it with Rajahmundry as his headquarters. For sometime, after the death of Anavota Nayaka in 1364 A.D., Rajahmundry and the region on the eastern bank of the Godavari was without a ruler. The Manchikonda Chief, Mummadi Nayaka of Korukonda and Narasimhadeva-IV of Kalinga tried to take advantage of the disturbed political situation. Though, they succeeded in conquering this region, it did not remain in their hold for long, as the Reddi ruler, Anavota succeeded in capturing the throne. 

He was succeeded by Anavema Reddi (1364-86 A.D), who in turn was succeeded by Kumaragiri (1386 A.D). Kumaragiri fought many wars with the Recherlas of Rachakonda and the Kalinga rulers. He sent his general Kataya Vema along with Prince Anavota to conquer the eastern region. This resulted in the annexation of a large tract in the north as far as Simhachalam. The newly acquired territory was annexed to the Reddi Kingdom and constituted into a separate province called the eastern Kingdom or the Rajamahendra Rajya. Prince Anavota ruled this province with Rajamahendravaram as his capital. He died a premature death around 1395 A.D and Kataya Vema, the general and brother-in-law of Kumaragiri was given Rajamahendra Rajya, in appreciation of the services rendered by him to the State. Kataya Vema's departure to Rajamahendravaram led to the seizure of the throne of Kondaveedu by force by Peda Komati Vema.

Peda Komati Vema's authority was defined by Kataya Vema. Kataya Vema was also involved in a conflict with the Eruva Chief, Annadeva Choda who managed to occupy a large portion of the Rajamahendra Rajya. He was, however, defeated and driven back by Katayavema. Later, Katayavema died in a battle with Annadeva Choda. After his death, Allada Reddi placed Kataya Vema's son Komaragiri on the throne of Rajamahendravaram and ruled the Kingdom as his regent. Komaragiri died a premature death. Allada Reddi ruled this region till his death in 1420 A.D. About 1423 A.D., the Vijayanagar ruler Devaraya-II defeated Virabhadra, who was then ruling this kingdom and reduced it to subjection.

At Kondaveedu, Racha Vema succeeded Peda Komati Vema to the throne. His rule was very oppressive and, therefore, he received little support from his subjects, when the Gajapatis of Orissa and the Rayas of Vijayanagar invaded the Kingdom. Kapileswara Gajapati crushed the Reddi power and annexed the Rajamahendra Rajya to his dominion.

About this period, a dynasty of feudatory chiefs known as Virasamantas of Koppula chiefs, came into prominence. After the downfall of the Kakatiyas of Warangal, a minor dynasty known as the chiefs of Korukonda rose to power. The historical origin of this family is not known. These chiefs became strong in due course and entered into matrimonial alliance with their powerful neighbours. Mummadi Nayaka of this family was thus married to the niece of the Musunuri chief, Kapaya Nayaka. He conquered the coastal region held earlier by Toyyeti Anavota Nayaka. He is believed to have further brought under subjection the kingdoms of Panara, Kona, Kuravata and others lying on either side of the Godavari. Mummadi Nayaka lived till 1388 A.D. He had three sons who ruled for a period of 40 years and later they were reduced to submission by the Reddies of Kondaveedu and their principality was merged in the kingdom of Kondaveedu.

After the death of Kapileswara Gajapati in 1470 A.D. there was a fight between his sons Hamvira and Purushottama for succession. Hamvira succeeded in occupying the throne with the help of the Bahmanis but he could not retain it for long. Purushottama overthrew Hamvira and tried to reconquer Rajahmundry and other places. But Muhammad Shah-III led the forces to Rajahmundry. This battle, however, ended with the conclusion of peace treaty. But after the death of Muhammad Shah-III Purushottama Gajapati overran the whole of the Godavari Krishna doab and drove away the Bahmani forces as far south as Kondaveedu. Purushottama was succeeded by his son Prataparudra. The Vijayanagar monarch Krishnadevaraya invaded his kingdom and brought Rajahmundry under subjection. However, a treaty was concluded wherein Prataparudra agreed to give his daughter in marriage to Krishnadevaraya in return of the territory north of the Krishna conquered by Krishnadevaraya.

Taking advantage of the disturbed conditions, the Qutb Shahi ruler, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, invaded the coastal region and took possession of Rajahmundry and the neighbouring kingdoms. Sultan Quli was murdered and he was succeeded to the throne by his son Jamshid Qutb Shah and then by his grandson Subhan Qutb Shah. During the reign Ibrahim Qutb Shah had to ward off challenges two chiefs 1510-1580 A.D. from Shitab Khan and Vidyadhar. The last ruler of this dynasty was Abdul Hasan Tana Shah who ruled during 1672-87 A.D.

About this period, the Mughal power started spreading to the south. The district of East Godavari was then included in Golconda, which had become one of the twenty-two provinces of the Mughal Empire. The Mughal emperor Aurangazeb appointed viceroys to carry out the administration of these provinces. The viceroy of Golconda looked after the administration through military officers called Fauzdars. The Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Nizam-ul-Mulk as the viceroy of the Deccan. He was, however, replaced by Husain Ali Khan, and during the time of Muhammad Shah, Nizam-ul-Mulk invaded the Deccan, defeated and killed Mubariz Khan in the battle of Shakar Khera in 1724 and ruled the Deccan in an autonomous capacity.

Nizam-ul-Mulk’s death in 1748 A.D. led to a war of succession between his son Nasir Jung and his grandson Muzaffar Jung. The French and the English took different sides each. The dispute ended with the accession of Salabat Jung, with the help of the French General Bussy. General Bussy was, however, summoned to the south by Lally, the new Governor-General of the French possessions in India. As soon as he left, Ananda Raju, the new Raja of Vizianagaram, invited the English to come and occupy the Northern Circars. The tussle that ensued between the French and the English ended with the French loosing all possessions in Northern Circars. Salabath Jung was subsequently deposed by his brother Nizam Ali Khan who leased out Rajahmundry and Chicacole to Hasan Ali Khan. Lord Clive, entered into negotiations for the ceding of the Northern Circars and obtained a Firman to that effect in August 1765, but it was kept a secret till March, 1766. General Caillaud was sent to Machilipatnam to undertake military operations, if necessary. The Nizam also made brisk preparations for war.

It was, however, prevented with the conclusion of a treaty whereby the English agreed to hold the Northern Circars on payment of a tribute, accepting at the same time to furnish the Nizam with some troops. This treaty was confirmed by another treaty in 1768. Hasan Ali Khan’s lease expired in 1769 A.D. and Rajahmundry and Eluru came under the control of the newly constituted chief and counsil at Machilipatnam. The Zamindars came into prominence during the period preceding the transfer of the district to the English. The Zamindars of Rampa, Peddapuram, Pithapuram, Kota and Ramachandrapuram were the important Zamindars of this region.